


A Bird Song for the Dead

by PlasticStars



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Guardian Angels, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Fluff and Angst, Ghosts, Guardian Angel Ozpin (RWBY), Love Letters, M/M, Ruby is a cute lil cinnamon roll, Sort of inspired by Hamilton's letters to John Laurens, but you don't have to know that to understand it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 13:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13101117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlasticStars/pseuds/PlasticStars
Summary: Qrow wrote thousands of letters to Ozpin in his free time.Oz died before he could send a single one of them.





	A Bird Song for the Dead

**Author's Note:**

  * For [officialao3fandomlastforever on Tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=officialao3fandomlastforever+on+Tumblr).



> Thanks to my friend who read this for fun,  
> Thanks to ozqrowsecretsanta.tumblr.com for hosting this,  
> and thanks to officialao3fandomlastforever.tumblr.com for giving me my prompt!
> 
> <3

_ Ozpin, you are a wonderful human being, and I’ll stay by your side, for as long as time lets us. _

 

A chill swept over Qrow as he read the unsent letters to Ozpin. The letters were either too lovey, or explicit to send to his friend. His only friend really. Qrow didn’t want to lose him. In the end, he did anyways.

 

_ I wish I could express my love to you, in actions, rather than words. Yet, I know I’ll never send these letters. I wish I could. _

 

Love didn’t come easy to Qrow. Only when he was writing these letters, could he express his feelings. Ozpin must have been the only person he loved. His sister hates him, their parents abandoned them, and his teammates never talked to him unless they needed to.

 

_ I wish many things. But I wish most of all to be with you. _

 

Oz could never love him. He would have heard rumors about Ozpin loving him from Oobleck or someone. Maybe Oz didn’t want to tell anyone? Who knows? He’s dead now.

 

_ I love you, now and forever, _

_ Qrow _

 

His signing off point. When was this? A week or two before he died? A month? Qrow felt tears pricking his eyes. He took a swig from his flask.

 

_ Hey, Oz, wanna be my boyfriend?  _

_ XXOO, Qrow _

 

This one he wrote when he was drunk. Well, more drunk than usual. Yes, Ozpin was a teacher at Beacon at the time, even though he was only 4 years older than him.  _ Thank the maidens _ he didn’t send it. That would be an incredibly awkward talk to have with Oz. Now that he wasn’t a student, it would be more accepted to date him. 

 

Qrow needed to write. Vent his feelings on paper. Well, he really needed to vent to someone. That’s when he felt a chill again. 

 

He should probably turn the heat up a bit. Qrow walked outside his room and went to turn the heat up. That’s when he saw Glynda.

 

Qrow felt the chill again. “Hey Gladdy, is it cold in here? Or is that just me?”

 

“Qrow, you’re drunk.” Glynda scowled.

 

“Well, yes I am… But I was being serious.” Qrow sighed.

 

“Well, it’s actually quite warm. Now, I’ve got to go on my way.” Glynda turned and started to walk away.

 

Qrow grabbed Glynda’s arm and she spun around surprised. “Qrow. I have to go.”

 

Qrow bit his lip, and debated whether to tell her about the letters. “Glynda, you know Ozpin.”

 

“Yes, of course I know him! Qrow, I should be going-”

 

Qrow cut her off, “I wrote him a letter every day, since the second year I came here to when he died. I never sent these letters.”

 

Glynda paused, “And?”

 

“And these were love letters.” He took his hand off her arm.

 

Glynda mouth stood agape, before she finally came to her senses and laughed. “Tell me where these letters are.”

 

Qrow lead her to his room. He opened his file cabinet, and she saw  _ thousands _ of letters, some dating a good few years. She picked one up and began to read:

 

“Dearest Ozpin, I’ll let you know that I’ve loved you for a while and I’d love to … Qrow, how explicit do these get?”

 

Qrow blushed. “Well, at some times, very. When I’m drunk,”

 

“You’re always drunk.”

 

“When I’m extraordinarily drunk, I tend to write a bit more explicitly, like I’d include-”

 

“Qrow, no details, please. I get the gist. You, Qrow Branwen are hopelessly in love. And I think you know that already.” Glynda smiled sadly. She knew Oz would never come back.

 

“Thank you Glynda for listening. You should probably get to whatever you were doing.” Qrow looked away, and sat down in his swivel chair.

 

“Well, I was lying, I didn’t think it was this important.” Glynda chuckled. “Anyways it’d be best to say goodbye now.”

 

“Goodbye Glynda.” She shut the door.

 

There was silence after that. Uncomfortable, thick, heavy  _ silence _ . Qrow paused and began to speak. “I love you Ozpin. Now and forever.” Qrow chuckled. “Why am I saying this? You’re dead.”

 

“In between Qrow. I’m in between life and death.” A voice that was so familiar, it chilled Qrow to the bone.

 

“What?” Qrow spun around quickly, “Ozpin?”

 

Qrow had dissolved into tears at the sight of his friend, almost, could have been lover. “I’ve missed you Qrow.”   
  


“I’ve missed you too.” Qrow ran to hug Oz, but he fell through. “Ozpin, please tell me you’ll come back.”

 

“I wish I could. Qrow-” Ozpin looked away, “I know, this is a horrible time to say this, but, I love you too...  _ Maidens _ , I needed to get that off my chest.”

 

“Why come back  _ now _ Oz?”

 

“I needed to tell you that I’ll be watching over Ruby.” Ozpin smiled sadly.

 

“Alright. Thank you Ozpin… For watching over Ruby.”

 

“And thank you for protecting Ruby. Qrow, just remember to be careful.”

 

“I will.”

 

.+*+.+*+.+*+.

 

“GUYS!!!” Ruby screeched, running into her dorm. “Ozpin! He’s- He’s here!”

 

Yang jumped to her feet, bored of the game her, Weiss, and Blake were playing. “Where is he Ruby?”

 

“Right behind me!” Everyone looked behind Ruby, but they saw no Ozpin.

 

“Guys, come on! You… You can’t see him?” Ruby looked shaken.

 

“Ruby, they can’t see you. I’m… your guardian angel.” Ozpin smiled.

 

“Wait! So, you’re dead? But I can see you. Because you’re my guardian angel. And I’m just talking to myself, aren’t I?”

 

Yang placed her hand on Ruby’s shoulder, “Ruby. We need to tell the teachers that were close to Oz. Oobleck, maybe Port. I guess Glynda and Ironwood… Oh and Qrow!”

 

Yang proceeded to wiggle her eyebrows at Ruby. They both knew of Qrow’s letters. “Ozpin, who would you like to see first? Well…  _ you _ see them, they don’t.”

 

“Qrow.”

 

“Qrow?” Ozpin nodded.

 

“We’ll stay here Ruby.” Blake and Weiss agreed. “You guys are closest with Qrow anyways.”

 

“Alright. We’ll see you later.” Yang smiled and waved.

 

The three walked past many doors, finally arriving at Qrow’s. “Qrow! Open the door!” Ruby screeched.

 

“No need to yell Ruby!” Qrow said, opening the door.

 

Qrow stood in shock. “Oz?”

 

“You can see him? Ozpin, why can he see you?”

 

“I have a close bond with him. The only reason you can see me Ruby, is because I’m your guardian angel.” Qrow face flushed as Ozpin was talking.

 

“So what now?” Qrow asked.

 

“We go and tell the other teachers. Other than that? We wait. We’ll fight Salem. I’ll protect Ruby as well as I can.”

 

“Alright. I’ll… see you on the other side then?”

 

“Indubitably.”

 

.+*+.+*+.+*+.

 

Ruby fought Salem. Many died, and yet many got together. Nature works in mysterious ways, always needing to reproduce.

 

Yang came into Ruby’s room, “There’s a letter for you from New Beacon.”

 

“If it’s from Qrow I’ll read it later.” She chuckled, “He makes sure to send me a note every day.”

 

“It’s not.”

 

“Can you read it sis? I’m just a bit busy, working on plans for a new class for New Beacon, remember?”

 

Yang nodded, and read, “On… On Saturday, December twenty-third... Qrow Branwen was murdered by Tyrian. Tyrian had not been notified that the war was over, and you know him,” Yang added, wiping away the blobs running down her face, “he never backs down from a fight.”

 

Yang kept going, Ruby looking horrified, “His ashes are buried here, until the remaining members of his family (Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long) can send for him.”

 

“Ruby?”

 

“Yang.” The elder dropped the letter and ran towards her sister, engulfing her into a hug.

 

“I’m so sorry Ruby, I thought you wouldn’t have to go through this for a long time.”

 

“I know.” Ruby said, muffled by Yang’s shirt.

 

.+*+.+*+.+*+.

 

Ozpin was gone at that point, his duty to Ruby done. Salem was dead. He marched up to the gates of the afterlife, meeting Qrow on the other side. Ozpin kissed the shorter man’s forehead in greeting. Qrow looked back at life and made sure to send one last call out to Ruby, making sure she knew he was fine.

 

That morning, a crow woke Ruby up. She smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this crushed your heart into a million pieces ;)


End file.
